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Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Challenges

I just read that someone was taking on the challenge of reading the complete standard works in 2012. It ends up being 7 pages a day. To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the "standard works" are the books of scripture we accept as words of God. They include the Bible--Old Testment and New Testament, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

If you care to join me in this challenge, it's easily set up to read online at readthescriptures.com. They even set it up so you can read the right number of pages each day and you can highlight and take notes. These markings stay no matter how many times you read it. If you miss a day, they keep track of it, but if you miss a lot of days, you can reset your goal. I love it!

The only misgiving about doing this challenge is that I love the Book of Mormon. I feel strongly that I have to read it everyday, so I'm going to have my own thing going for that too. I'll probably do one in the morning and one at night. We'll see how things play out.

I also found this blog this morning. Love it! Read the post for today and decided that's what I need to do. I need to follow Emily's example.

In getting on my knees, I learned that the only way an upward spiral is possible is because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Were it not for that, there would be no way to reach for heaven. There would be no hope. So, in 2012, I want to continually reach upward and seek to understand the Atonement better and how it applies to me.

In July of this past year, I felt like I'd never been closer to heaven. I felt like messages, personal messages, were being sent to me daily from one place or another. I want to feel that way again. I don't want to waste a minute.

I got to talking to one of my children the other day--in the role of motivational speaker, a role I take on quite frequently these days, and I got to talking about that child's mission here on earth. It occurred to me, as I spoke to this child, how the mission isn't something that you one day run in and do, it's the journey. It's a bunch of little tasks and tests that we meet, and how we meet them and what we do with them is our mission.

There was a sister in my mission who had the goal of returning home with "no regrets." That's my desire for 2012--no regrets. How can I possibly use every minute for its best purpose? Is it crazy to want that? As I think about it, the only thing that would make this crazy is if I try to conquer it by myself. If I am praying continually, I have no doubt--because of the experiences from earlier this year--that I will be guided as to what's best to do. The only thing I have to worry about is exercising my faith and doing what I'm directed to do. Am I up for this challenge?

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Welcome to the Madhouse

Being the "Chief Inmate" of the Madhouse is a full-time job. I share my duties with a giant of a man, whom I refer to simply as "The Warden." He is like no one else. We've been running the Madhouse for more than 20 years and are glad to say that we are living to tell about it. The Madhouse has reached capacity with seven fellow/junior inmates and our equally insane dog Maggie. The Madhouse is my location to, as the Warden would say, "Spill [my] guts" to any and all who will read. So find yourself a corner in one of the padded rooms, and enjoy some time with us. You never know what you might find.

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"If you have an opportunity to help someone in your lifetime, do it. In life, do what's right because it's right, and leave it alone--no ulterior motive. Do what is right. Don't make money from it. Don't write an article about it. Don't publicize it. Do what's right because it's right."